“They get hit by hail,” laughs Angie Norville, who recalls watching security officers dodging hailstones outside her dorm. “Seriously, though, they’re out there in all kinds of weather.”

“I love Maranatha security,” says Rebekah Warren, who said she appreciates getting walked back to the dorm when her job has kept her out after the residence halls are locked. “They are pretty fun-loving, but they’re very professional about the job.”

And, that’s exactly what Tim Johns wants his security force to be. In the four years Johns has been the security director, the force has provided a strong presence on Maranatha’s campus.

“It’s a good job,” says shift supervisor Sam Prusak, who has worked for security for more than two years. “The hours are pretty decent, depending on your shift. The hardest part is getting done at 1 a.m. and still having first hour (class) the next morning.”

So what exactly does security do while the campus is asleep?

“They watch the campus,” explains Johns. “They patrol and prevent things from happening. They check all the doors and watch the parking lots.”

Even as they look after the campus, officers understand the true source of the college’s security. “It’s God who protects the campus, really, not us,” Prusak says.

All personnel are part of the security team. They are aware of everyone and everything on campus. The officers do their part to keep the campus secure as well. The combination of their positions allows the officers to see the parking lots as well as the entire length of the sidewalk leading to the dorms.

When night falls, officers often walk girls back to their dorms. The officers talk to the girls as they walk—unless the girl pretends to be texting on her cell phone.

Officers patrol the male residence hall area as well as the main campus. A dispatcher and a supervisor work in the Welcome Center.

For Johns, working with security is a rewarding job.

“It’s knowing that you’re the one who is responsible for what’s going on, that you’re the one out there, that you know that things are secure.”

Great Jobs, Great Opportunities

Student workers play a valuable role on Maranatha’s campus and receive valuable experience in return. More than half of Maranatha’s undergraduate students held oncampus jobs during the 2010-11 academic year. Consider the benefits they received:

Students are able to help pay their way through college by working. This gives them a greater appreciation for the value of their education.

Campus job experiences provide enduring life skills. Many graduates are able to market those skills and find part-time work to supplement their ministry income.

Staff members who demonstrate strong work ethic and a Christ-centered approach to their jobs mentor student workers.